Growing Admiration
by ikigai.potter
Summary: Five times Haruno Sakura loved Uchiha Sasuke, and one time she didn't.
1. Chapter 1

_**Growing Admiration:**_ _Six times Haruno Sakura loved Uchiha Sasuke and one time she didn't._

 **I do not own any rights to Naruto.**

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When Sakura was five. She decided she was in love with Uchiha Sasuke.

If asked at the time, she probably could not have provided an explanation as to why she had suddenly developed a crush for her quiet, broody classmate. Maybe it was his sullen, mysterious demeanor. Maybe it was his position as an heir to one of the founding clans of Konoha. Maybe it was just because Ino had decided she had a crush on him, and Ino was always right about everything.

Whatever the case, Sakura was now finding herself a part of the large fangirl group that stood by and giggled ferociously whenever Sasuke-kun entered a room.

Painfully aware of the size of that particular group, Sakura sought advice from the wisest woman she knew for the key to Sasuke's heart.

Pulling carefully at her mother's pant leg as she was cooking dinner one night, Sakura waited patiently until she had her full attention before she voiced her question, "Okaa-san, how do I get a boy to like me?"

Haruno Mebuki chuckled quietly at the sound of her husband choking on his tea at their dinner table.

"My, my," she mused, mirth still lilting her entire voice, "is it time for such things already?" Kneeling at her daughter's yet-tiny frame, she reached for her chubby hands and asked, "Well, what makes your father happy?"

Confused, Sakura's bright emerald eyes glanced towards Haruno Kizashi, seated in his normal place at the head of their little family table, sneaking her mother's onigiri, despite the fact that dinner was on the way.

"Food! Otou-san loves Okaa-san's cooking!"

Eyes twinkling in delight, Mebuki nodded proudly. "If you like, I will help you make an extra bento box for your man in the morning, Sakura-chan!"

So, the very next day, Sakura woke up bright and early, and, as promised, her mother assisted her in preparing an extra bento just for Sasuke.

Struggling under the doubled weight of her bag, Sakura marched to school, proudly bearing the way to Sasuke's heart, practicing what she was planning on saying to him the whole way.

However, just as she walked through the front gate of the school, she was greeted with the sight of Sasuke standing and speaking to what she assumed was his brother, for he was the one that usually brought him to school, and was caught completely off guard.

Hurriedly divesting the bento box from her backpack, she rushed to his side while she had the chance and none of his other fangirls were in sight. Sakura carefully cleared her throat when she was but a few steps away from his side.

Sasuke turned and looked at her as if she was a rather unfortunate bug at the bottom of his shoe. Gulping in fear, she held the bento box out to him and blurted rather awkwardly, "Sasuke-kun! Please accept this bento box I made you for lunch!"

The sneer that had been on his face was replaced with full blown disgust. "I don't eat any bento but my mother's!" Just like that, he turned on his heel and stormed into the school, muttering something about crazy fangirls the whole way.

Sakura was mortified. Here she was holding her heart – and homemade bento – to her first crush, and she had been utterly and completely refused. As hard as she tried to avoid it, her lower lip began to tremble.

Then, her vision was obscured by a dark form just before her. Thinking it was Sasuke reconsidering her offer, she glanced up hopefully only to find herself face-to-face with his older brother.

Though Sakura had never formally met the older Uchiha sibling, she noticed at first glance that his eyes were much kinder than Sasuke's. Just meeting his warm gaze had immediately stifled any urge she had to cry.

His voice, she noted, was just as soft. "On behalf of Sasuke, I apologize. His manners could use a bit of work." He peered down at the large package still in her hands. "May I?"

Sakura nodded a bit uncertainly and dropped it in his waiting hands. He opened it carefully, almost as if it were a present, and examined the food closely.

"These are quite well-made," he remarked, a touch of admiration in his tone. He returned his gaze to her. "Did you cook this yourself?"

Sakura rubbed at her eye, making sure there were really no tears there. "My Okaa-san helped me."

"It must have taken you a lot of time."

Sakura nodded a bit bashfully, then found herself faced with the weight of his full attention. Squirming a bit under his scrutiny, she considered fleeing into the school when he seemed to come to some sort of decision. Returning the lid to the bento box, he held it between them once more.

"I would be honored if you would allow me to have this bento box that you have made."

He waited through her shocked silence with all of the patience in the world, merely holding the box between them, giving her a chance to take it back. Even when she nodded and was graced with a small smile in return as he thanked her and left the schoolyard, Sakura really hadn't absorbed what had occurred.

The next day, Sasuke gave her back her mother's bento box container. Just as churlish as the day before, he relayed a message from his brother about how delicious the food was, as well as an apology he had obviously been forced to give.

Then, he immediately demanded a homemade bento from her for the following day.

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	2. Chapter 2

_**Growing Admiration:**_ _Six times Haruno Sakura loved Uchiha Sasuke and one time she didn't._

 **I do not own any rights to Naruto.**

* * *

When Sakura was 12, she failed her first Chūnin Exam.

In fact, she, along with the rest of her team, almost didn't survive it.

Sakura had never felt such fear as when both Sasuke and Naruto were down for the count, and she, the glorified runt of the Team 7 litter, was left to watch over them in the Forest of Death. Kakashi-sensei's voice echoed lessons in her ear as she constructed trap after trap, trying to keep whatever was hunting them at bay, though a different voice whispered it would do little to stop whatever _creature_ had hurt Sasuke so.

Truthfully, it also did little to hold back the team from Sound that had come after their scrolls. Not even the combined efforts of Sakura, Lee, and Team ino-Shika-Cho could do that.

Then, Sasuke emerged from unconsciousness.

Sakura felt the chakra before she saw him. The sense of _wrongness_ that descended upon the clearing made gooseflesh appear on her skin and sent shivers down her spine. She could even see it; the swirling mass of dark energy that was twisting around the boy she loved. There could be no doubt about it, the seal that Sasuke had been given was downright evil.

"Sakura, who did this to you?"

She couldn't answer because it was not Sasuke who asked it of her. It couldn't be her Sasuke-kun. She didn't know this being of darkness that stood before her. She didn't know who it was who would break a ninja's arms with a sick smile twisting along his face, who stalked towards his next victim with anticipation and relish.

 _Stop this._

 _Come back, Sasuke-kun._

 _Bring him back._

" _Sasuke-kun_!"

And then he appeared.

Although he was covered from head to toe in his ANBU gear, Sakura saw the trademark raven hair and the spinning of tomoe through the eyeholes of his bone mask and recognized Itachi for who he was. It was the hypnotic power of his eyes that finally made Sasuke stop his warpath and fall unconscious once more.

Catching him easily, Itachi gave his little brother a once over before turning to the only standing Sound ninja in the clearing.

"Take your teammates and go."

The threat that underlined every word of his command was almost more terrifying than the scene that she had just witnessed. The Sound nin wasted no time in doing just as Itachi commanded, tossing both of his teammates over his shoulders and even leaving them a scroll as a token of good faith before disappearing into the shadows of the woods.

Once he was gone, Sakura found herself stumbling over her own feet in her haste to get to her fallen teammate.

"Sasuke-kun! _Sasuke-kun_!"

A soft but firm hand was laid on her shoulder. After everything that she had been through the past hour, Sakura flinched at the touch, gentle as it was.

Sensing her fear, Itachi pulled the mask away from his features and deactivated the Sharingan to reassure her with a familiar face.

"He will be all right, Sakura-san," he intoned as calmly as he could. Itachi stood on his feet and carried Sasuke to the bower where she had previously ensconced both of her teammates, laying him next to Naruto once more. "Tell me what happened."

Once Sakura had joined him and assured herself that Sasuke was as comfortable as he could be, she did just that, passing on every detail of their misadventure in the Forest of Death. She told him of the woman they had encountered, the terrifying genjutsu she had unleashed upon them, how Sasuke and Naruto had fought so bravely, and, finally, how she had stuck that seal on Sasuke. Even now, safe as she was, as they all were, relaying all of her memories had her quaking in the shadow of the tree they sat under.

When she was finished she turned to face Itachi, only to find him already watching her, his eyes trailing over her face in a very telling way.

Sakura knew she must look terrible. Her hair was a half-mangled mess of poorly cut strands, and she could feel the way her eye was swelling shut and blood was crusting on her skin. It was a far cry from their meeting on an elementary school playground.

However, instead of making a comment on her appearance, Itachi nodded suddenly and told her, "You did well, Sakura-san."

Strangely enough, that was exactly what she needed to hear. The quivering in her limbs eased, and a deep breath dispelled the lump in her throat as well as the urge to cry.

Itachi reached behind him and slipped a hand into the pouch attached to his hip. Sakura could only stare confusedly as he recovered a small covered container and held it out between them.

"For your bruises," he explained quietly. "They will still take time to heal, but they will not ache as badly tomorrow. Use them for Naruto-kun and Sasuke as well."

Strangely hesitant, Sakura reached out and carefully took the proffered gift. The container was small enough that, when she did so, their fingers brushed just slightly. She held the ointment to her chest and smiled at him for the first time in what seemed like days.

"Thank you, Uchiha-san."

His lips curved just slightly at the edges in response, but, just as quickly, the happiness from his face was wiped clean as he rolled onto his feet and strode smoothly back into the forest.

"Wait," she called nervously. He stopped in his tracks but did not turn back to face her. "Where are you going?"

A beat of silence passed before he answered. "You and your teammates have an exam to finish, Sakura-san." His hand lifted towards his face, and, when he looked over his shoulder at her, a mask of bone was all she saw. "I have a Rogue nin to hunt."

And, just like that, he was gone, leaving Sakura with her teammates, the bottle he had given her still warm from his touch.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Growing Admiration:**_ _Six times Haruno Sakura loved Uchiha Sasuke and one time she didn't._

 **I do not own any rights to Naruto.**

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"Sakura-san. _Sakura-san._ "

She came to slowly, prying her eyes open in response to the urgency her name had been uttered with. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was keenly aware of the painful pounding in the back of her skull. The world was blurry for a few seconds, and the first thing that did manage to come into focus was a midnight gaze that brought with it a torrent of emotion and memory.

Throwing herself forward, Sakura struggled to speak past the panicked gasping breaths she was taking.

" _Sasuke-kun,"_ she rasped. In her panic, she had pitched her body forward too far, but her momentum was immediately halted by a gentle grip at her shoulders.

Desperate for answers, Sakura actually reached out and took a fistful of his shirt, meeting Itachi's gaze as best as she could with a pulsing migraine forming. She tried to dissect every nuance of his expression, searching for the answers she so urgently needed.

"Uchiha-san, it's Sasuke. He–"

"I know, Sakura-san."

 _"Sasuke, I love you so much I can hardly stand it!"_

 _"Even now, you're still annoying."_

 _"Don't do this Sasuke please!"_

How he could be calm, even in a situation like this, Sakura would never know. She was seconds away from a full-on panic attack. Without meaning too, her whole story began to pour out of her.

"I just knew something wasn't right," she babbled, the words inhibited by the choking sobs that had begun to emerge. "It's that curse seal! He hasn't been the same since the chūnin exams. He says he's fine, but he's been pulling away from us. Kakashi-sensei told me he was handling it, and it just kept getting worse! Then, I found him tonight ready to leave! I begged him to stay, but – but he wouldn't! He was really going to leave us!"

"Sakura." Her chin was suddenly held in a strong grip, and she was forced to meet his gaze once more. For a moment, Sakura wondered if he would use the Sharingan on her and knock her out, too, but his eyes were their normal depthless onyx that made her breath still. "You need to breathe, Sakura-san. Deeply now."

She followed his order as best as she could, drawing in deeply and releasing a shaky gust of breath. He released her chin slowly, allowing her to straighten and regain some personal space. As soon as she moved her head back, though, a sharp note of pain ran through her skull, and she flinched lightly.

Vaguely, she noted the way that Itachi's gaze darkened a touch. "It seems like my little brother lacks a sense of finesse."

Sakura lifted a hand to the back of her head and rubbed lightly. Sure enough, there was a large lump waiting for her searching fingers. The slightest brush against it made her flinch once more.

Humming in a way that belied his displeasure, Itachi stood to his full height in a rush of movement that left Sakura dizzy. One minute, she was lying on one of the stone benches that lined the streets of Konoha, the next she was lifted bridal-style into Itachi's arms. Her grip on his shirt tightened further, and she couldn't help the way her face fell against his shoulder in an effort to block out the world that was tilting precariously.

Itachi's steps were smooth, hardly jostling her. "Just breathe deeply. It will help the dizziness." Sakura tried to thank him for his consideration, but all that managed to escape her mouth was a pitiful whine of pain. "You may have a concussion. I will bring you to the hospital just in case."

Inch by inch, Sakura moved away from the warmth of his shoulder to look up at his impassive features. "Uchiha-san, I tried to stop him. I tried to scream, but he–"

"I think I can piece together what he did," Itachi conveyed darkly. "And the chūnin patrol heard you. They managed to stop Sasuke before he made it to the gate."

A sense of overwhelming relief flowed through her, making her muscles quake and her vision swim once more. Without a second thought, her forehead fell back against his shoulder. Determined not to cry in front of him, she breathed deeply through her nose and attempted to put a cap on the inundation of emotions that flooded her. In the midst of the chaotic whirlwind of feelings, she could have sworn she felt the soothing brush of fingers stroking her back.

But Sakura didn't have time to overanalyze such a touch. As soon as it came, the sense of relief darkened as she recalled her last encounter with Sasuke and came to one, inevitable conclusion.

"He'll never forgive me," she whispered brokenly into Itachi's shirt. So close to him, there was no way she could miss the way he tensed at her words, seemingly having the same realization. Sakura could never remember feeling so hopeless in her entire life. Her own teammate would hate her guts, and, judging by the way he had been quarreling with Naruto lately, she was done for.

"Maybe not," he agreed, making her feel even worse for a moment, but he continued, "but, someday, he may even thank you."

Sakura huffed lightly, and she could have sworn that she felt his chest move with laughter in response.

His voice was warm and comforting directly by her ear. "He may never thank you, but, today, I will."

Shocked, Sakura turned just enough to look up into the Uchiha eyes, so similar to Sasuke's, yet different in every way that mattered. He held her gaze and, finally, the impassiveness that usually held his features so tightly in check fell away all at once to reveal the older brother that was filled with the same sense of worried relief that she was.

"You saved my Otouto from a mistake that could have cost him his life and spared my family unimaginable pain." A shaky smile crossed his face, and, in that moment, Sakura saw that Itachi Uchiha was just as human as she was. "Thank you, Haruno Sakura."

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	4. Chapter 4

_**Growing Admiration:**_ _Six times Haruno Sakura loved Uchiha Sasuke and one time she didn't._

 **I do not own any rights to Naruto.**

* * *

"You're – you're _leaving_?"

While Sakura was doing her best to maintain some degree of composure, Sasuke looked as if he were carved from stone, calm, unfazed, and unaffected by the bombshell he had just dropped on her.

"I have to, Sakura," he told her. Sakura could hear the touch of haughtiness to his tone, as if spontaneous self-imposed exile somehow made him better than her. Her hands, fisted at her sides, clenched even tighter at the sound, still trying to decide whether to embrace him and beg him to stay or to deck him for even thinking of going.

"But, what about–" She tripped over her words, too scared to hear his answer if she added _me_ to the end of her sentence. Too often had her words of affection and gestures of love already been stomped on. She wasn't really sure how much more derision she could take from him. "What about Naruto?"

There was a sudden, fleeting crack in Sasuke's normal mask, one that she would have never caught had she not spent so much time already on his team, and, all at once, Sakura was bolstered by the pride that came with taking Uchiha Sasuke by surprise. He had really expected her to fall on her knees and plead with him. She felt herself stand a little straighter, felt her heartbeat slow and her expression even out.

He didn't stay off-balance very long. "You know that Naruto has been training more and more with Jiraiya. It won't be long until he leaves, too." Shuffling from one foot to the other, he avoided her gaze in a show of hesitation she had never once seen from him before. He added, "The kind of training we need now…we can't get it here."

Sakura had been doing a fair job of ignoring the obvious signs for the past few weeks. After all, she could handle being fully entrenched in denial. She could barely stand the thought that both of her teammates would be leaving – _abandoning –_ her at the same time.

That wasn't to say she didn't understand why they were going. She had had a front row seat to the way their abilities were improving by leaps and bounds. It was almost frightening, really, the seemingly-otherworldly power they both wielded at their fingertips. They were outgrowing the genin training grounds of Konoha.

They were outgrowing her.

"Where will you go?"

He shook his head. "That's for Kakashi to deicde."

Ah. So it wasn't even just her boys. Her sensei had decided to pack his bags, as well. That would've been nice to hear before now.

Giving herself a moment to allow the burn of betrayal and unshed tears at the back of her throat to ease, Sakura forced herself to nod.

"Go, then." The words came out through clenched teeth. _Stay strong_ , she thought to herself. _This is what they need. You can't hold them back forever._ "Go, if that's what you think is best."

Yet again, Sasuke hesitated. "Sakura…"

Sakura tucked her chin, not willing to let him see her cry. If they were all going to leave her, she was going to have to get used to taking care of herself. She was doing well, holding herself together for now, but it wouldn't last. He needed to leave before that happened.

"Please, Sasuke-kun," she whispered, knowing he would pick it up with his sharp hearing anyway. "Please, just go."

She didn't watch him walk away, couldn't watch the boy she loved leave her again. While his blatant hesitation and cushioning of the truth had softened the blow, she was hurt all the same. Head still ducked, she listened to the sound of his soft footsteps brushing the grass of the training ground where she had agreed to meet him, walking further and further away, until she could hear him no more.

That was when she let herself cry.

Falling to her knees, Sakura held her hands up to her face and attempted to abate the tears escaping her eyes, but they came anyway. Big, hiccupping sobs accompanied them, and, distantly in the back of her mind, Sakura came to the shocking realization that she was in the midst of a panic attack.

Naruto.

Kakashi.

Sasuke.

 _Gone._

She was alone. All alone. Alonealone _alone_ –

"Sakura-san?"

Gasping in surprise, Sakura's gaze snapped up to meet another not three feet in front of her.

She was well aware that Uchiha Itachi could sneak up on whoever he wanted to, but it didn't help the already gaping hole in her pride that she had missed his presence completely.

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-san," she forced out between gasping breaths. Try as she might, should could not get herself to breathe normally.

That is, until large, warm hands gently cupped both of her cheeks and her eyes were directed to the slowly spinning tomoe of Itachi's sharingan. Her breath stilled altogether.

His voice was just as hypnotizing as his kekkei genkai. "Deep breaths, Sakura."

With a little help from his ability and his calming presence, she regained control of herself, reining in the panic that had threatened to overwhelm her.

Her derisive sense of humor came back first. "Why is it you always appear when I'm crying?"

The corner of his lips tilted in a friendly smile, and Sakura suddenly wondered what Sasuke would look like with such a kind expression on his face. She felt herself crumpling again.

As she watched crimson fade to a familiar shade of onyx, the pain only became more poignant. "Sasuke," she whispered.

Immediately, any trace of a smile left Itachi's face. "He informed me of his plans last night. I know he has a habit of being… indelicate in regards to other's feelings, yours specifically."

It took Sakura a moment to read between the lines, to decipher what he meant, but, when she did, she could hardly believe it.

"You came to check on me," she breathed, not really have confidence in her question.

"Someone has to."

Stretching up to his full height, Itachi held out a hand and helped pull her to her feet. Suddenly self-conscious after her complete mental breakdown, she found herself brushing dust off of her dress and wiping any remaining trace of tears from her face.

Instead of reassuring her, his comment made her self-esteem drop even further. A smile, full of bitterness, crossed her face. "I'm sorry you always have to be here to pick up the pieces then."

Sakura could feel his gaze on her, the weight of his attention, but couldn't find the courage to look up and face him. With her boys leaving her and her world falling apart at the seams, her entire being felt so fragile at that moment, as if just the strength of his study would shatter her.

But it didn't.

"Someone does not have to, Sakura," he began quietly, in a tone so calm she couldn't help but be steadied by it. "Someone _should_ because you are a capable kunoichi with an incredible about of untapped potential. You have a chakra control that surpasses your teammates, even with all their abilities, an aptitude for genjutsu, and an inherent intelligence that is only surpassed by your Nara classmate."

How could he possibly have the ability to always turn her perspective completely around within the span of a few seconds? As he spoke, her panic eased and her mind quieted. She listened to what he had to say and was both flattered and perplexed by it.

"You, you really think so?"

He nodded with a solemnity that informed her of how serious he was. "I would not say it otherwise. Besides," and, finally, a small tilt of his lips lightened the mood around them, "you have survived this long on a team with my baka-otouto."

She responded with a smile that felt equally as refreshing. "I suppose that's true, but," a grip of panic threatened to take hold of her again, "I have no teammates, no sensei. What am I going to do? Who am I supposed to learn from now?"

A simple had on her shoulder grounded her once more. "You must find your own path now, Sakura, just as your teammates have done. They may not have realized it, but you are all in the same place in your training, a place where perhaps you can learn more from your role models than from each other."

"But I don't have anyone to learn from," she cried. "I mean, Kurenei-sensei is a strong kunoichi and knows a lot about genjutsu, but she already has her own team to teach. I could go back to Iruka-sensei, but he is so busy with all of the genin."

"You cannot go backwards," Itachi agreed. "There is only forward. Genin teachers are not what you need right now. Your strongest attribute is your chakra control. I would suggest you venture down that path to reach your fullest potential."

Sakura felt her eyebrows furrow in deep thought. "My chakra control? I suppose, but the only person I really know in that area is the Hokage."

He said nothing in answer, merely continued staring at her with a telling expression.

" _The Hokage?_ You want me to ask _the Hokage_ for training?"

"What I want does not matter, Sakura. It's time you thought about what you want out of your training and what is best for you."

But she didn't know what she needed or even what she wanted really! Turning to ask him just that, she found herself greeted by an empty space of air.

What was with these Uchihas and fleeing in the moment she needed them most? In her anger, she found herself pacing the clearing, contemplating his suggestion over and over again in her mind.

The Hokage? She couldn't just ask the Hokage to train her! If she thought Iruka was busy, then this was a whole other level.

But her chakra control was amazing, the best in the world, in fact, and Sakura had always openly admired the Sannin's ability to heal life-threatening wounds with the single touch of her fingertips.

What was she thinking? She couldn't just go to the best kunoichi in the world and ask, _"Hey, my whole team abandoned me to train with world-renowned ninja. Do you have time to spare to offer me the same courtesy?"_

Actually. Why couldn't she?

Frustration boiled over.

"SHANARROOOOO!"

Ten minutes later:

Tsunade heard the thundering steps steadily approaching her office, but couldn't be bothered to worry. That was what she had ANBU guard for. However, as a quick precaution, she quickly stowed her jug of sake back in her desk. Couldn't have anyone finding that.

Sure enough, the doors to her office burst open in a dramatic flare that had her blinking, only to find a small ( _pink-haired?_ ) genin marching into the room.

"Take me on as your apprentice!"

Tsunade liked this girl already.

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	5. Chapter 5

_**Growing Admiration:**_ _Six times Haruno Sakura loved Uchiha Sasuke and one time she didn't._

 **I do not own any rights to Naruto.**

* * *

Sakura stood at the front gates, hands clasped to her chest, almost unable to breathe past her excitement. 

If Naruto's letters were to be believed, her boys would finally be coming home today. It was about time, too. Three years. Three whole years they had spent apart from one another, following their own separate paths and training to achieve their full potential. Now, they would finally have the chance to come together as a team, stronger than ever before. She could hardly wait any longer. 

A small smirk found its way to her face. Wistfully, she wondered what they would think of her newfound abilities. In the time they'd been gone, Sakura had had plenty of time to find herself.

Following Itachi's not-so-subtle suggestion, she had approached the Hokage and entreated (demanded) that she take her on as an apprentice. Amazingly, Tsunade accepted. If she had known then what kind of training the Slug Queen demanded of her students, Sakura probably would have run in the opposite direction from the Hokage tower that first day. Years of being tossed around a training field with chakra-enhanced strength, cramming hundreds and thousands of medical textbooks into her brain, and plenty of sleepless nights running double shifts at the hospital had done the trick, though, and, now, Sakura was a new woman, strong and smart and confident in her abilities as a kunoichi.

And, although she may not have been as well aware of it as the rest of Konoha, she had also grown up physically, too. Three years had lent a few inches to her height, and the Hokage's ruthless training had buried her previously-skinny limbs under a strong physique built for the battlefield. While she spent less time worrying about her hair and makeup than she did in her Academy days, her bright green eyes and rose-colored hair remained an alluring combination that drew eyes wherever she went, and it was becoming apparent to everyone in the village that Sakura was blossoming into a beautiful, formidable woman. 

However, what she remained primarily concerned about was how her returning boys viewed her as a teammate and a ninja. Sakura had long realized that Sasuke wouldn't spare her a second glance if he didn't think she was strong enough to be a member of Team 7 and wondered hopefully if things would begin to change between them now that she had done some growing up. 

"How long have you been waiting?" 

Glancing over her shoulder, she spared a smile as Itachi came to stand beside her. "'A while." 

"Sasuke wrote that they would be arriving at sunset." 

"Naruto, too," she admitted, absently tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, "but it was either sit pacing in my apartment or wait here, I guess." 

She heard the amused hum of agreement and smiled a little wider, fully comfortable in his presence.

Itachi, of course, was so much a part of how she got to where she was. He was the one who first told her she could get by without her teammates and who pointed her in Tsunade's direction. While she wasn't being worked to death by the Hokage learning medical jutsu and chakra control, he offered some additional brutal training in the area of genjutsu, which he had somehow noticed she had an apptitude for.

Though he had always been kind to her in moments she had needed it the most, he had never insulted her by going easy on her in training. A few minutes into her first session, Sakura was reminded that he was not only Sasuke's kinder older brother, but a deadly and world-renowned ANBU Captain, the youngest to ever achieve such a title, in fact. She had seen firsthand the power that he wielded with his ablities and his doujutsu. 

It was certainly an intimidating combination, but, strangely, Sakura had never felt frightened by him. Maybe it was because he looked so similar to Sasuke, but even on her most grueling training days, days he would subject her to some of his worst genjutsu abilities, she was reminded of a kind face thanking her for her bento, or a proffered bottle of ointment in the Forest of Death, or of a gentle hand on her spine when she thought her whole world was falling apart. 

She didn't realize she was staring until he returned her gaze and tilted his head ever so slightly in question. Feeling her cheeks warm, her head snapped back to the forest in front of her village. 

"It's nothing," she demured quietly, still slightly embarassed. "I've just been feeling a little nostalgic now that they're coming back. I wonder if they've changed." 

He was quiet for a moment, and she could still feel his eyes on the side of her face. Willing herself to stop blushing, she waited for him to give his two cents. 

"Three years is a long time," he agreed. "They will undoubtedly have changed. Just as you have." 

His earnest tone made her look back at him, and, for a single breathless moment, their eyes met. The air between them felt charged, alive, and her mind tumbled towards a sudden realization that-

"SAKURA-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" 

She had seconds to regain and brace herself before a hurricane of orange swept towards her, lifting her off of her feet and very nearly crushing her. On any other day, she would have berated him profusely and demanded he set her down, but she had missed him. Wrapping her arms around his staggeringly broader shoulders, she held him back just as tightly and almost felt herself cry when she realized he somehow still smelled like Ichiraku and Training field 8. 

All too soon, he set her down on the ground in front of him and seemed to really see her for the first time. His face immediately turned bright red and his eyes wandered from one place to the next, as if he couldn't believe what he saw. 

"Whoa, Sakura-chan! You look - different." 

Sakura felt her whole body warm with pride at his acknowledgment. she couldn't wait to visit the nearest training grounds later and see what he thought of her new abilities, too. 

"Dobe. She looks exactly the same." 

The warmth vanished in an instant.

The three figures standing at the entrance of Konoha seemed to all freeze at once at the sound of that voice. Stepping around Naruto's bulky frame, she caught sight of him for the first time in three years. He was strolling up to the village, hands in his pockets in his usual style, looking for all the world, bored with this little reunion. Eventually, he bothered to look up and meet her gaze, and she felt her heart sink when she couldn't detect the slightest hint of excitement or surprise in his eyes. 

He spared a whole three seconds looking her over before dismissing her immediately to nod at his brother in acknowledgment. 

Three years ago, Sakura would have crumbled in defeat at the sight. She would have gone home and cried into a pillow, wondering why he didn't love her, and spend an extra hour staring at the bathroom mirror calculating how she could change her appearance to get him to notice her more. 

That was before his brother led her down a different path, before she had trained wtih Tsunade, before she had grown up. 

Sure she loved him, but she wasn't going to put up with this shit anymore. 

He never saw the hit coming. In a lightning-fast move his own brother had taught her (She would wait to show him what she learned from Tsunade. She wanted to break his nose, not his neck), Sakura's fist snapped up from her side and clocked him right in the middle of his smug, bored face. 

Enjoying the look of shock on both Sasuke and Naruto's faces a little too much, she let a full ten seconds of silence hang in the air before relieving it. A too-sweet smile made its way to her face, and she was gratified to hear Naruto gulp nervously next to her. 

"Hello Sasuke, nice to see you haven't changed either. I'd love to stay and chat a little longer, but your mother has made us all a nice reunion dinner and I would hate to keep her waiting. So hop to boys!" 

"Aww man! I wanted to go to Ichiraku!" 

Naruto seemed to realize his mistake when her eyes cut to him. She waited until he started sweating nervously to add, "Naruto, you can go visit Ichiraku any time you want, but now, we are going to be polite houseguests for a very kind Mikoto-san. Is that clear?" 

Satisfied by his frantic nodding, she turned on her heel and began to make the now-familiar trek towards the Uchiha compound. After a few seconds, Itachi fell naturally into step with her. She glanced sideways at him and caught him doing the same. He said nothing, but his eyes twinkled with a sort of mirth she very rarely saw from him. 

From somewhere behind them, she heard Sasuke's muffled voice whisper to Naruto, "Who died and made her team leader?" 

Maintaining her gaze and silent conversation wtih Itachi she yelled back, answering, "No one _yet_ , Sasuke. We'll see how the night goes." 

Disgruntled mumbling was the only answer she received.

She spotted the corner of Itachi's lips twitch before he added, "In any case, Sakura is technically permitted to order you two as much as she likes. She outranks the both of you." 

"WHAT?"

Sakura could no longer contain her hold on her laughter, and, surprisingly, neither could Itachi.

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Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

_**Growing Admiration:**_ _Five times Haruno Sakura loved Uchiha Sasuke, and one time she didn't._

 **I do not own any rights to Naruto.**

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"I'm sorry. Would you – could you repeat that? "

Despite her question, Sakura was around 90% sure that she had heard and correctly understood Sasuke's mumbled request. What she did not and could not understand was her own reaction, or rather, lack thereof.

"I asked," he forced out, "if you wanted to maybe…gooutforsomethingtoeat."

It was odd enough that Sasuke appeared to be more uncomfortable than she had ever seen him (and this included the occasion he and Naruto had to cross-dress for an infiltration mission in Stone. She had the pictures to prove it).

His jaw was set so hard that she worried he would crack a tooth. He also wouldn't meet her gaze which was unusual for him, or any Uchiha she'd ever met for that matter. They tended to have the upper hand when it came to staring contests.

What she absolutely could not believe, however, was the lack of...well...anything she felt in response. All she could muster up was just an overall feeling of confusion. The was the moment she had long waited for; after years of pining and mooning over Sasuke, he was, or at least he appeared to be, asking her to get something to eat with him.

But that opened a whole new can of worms.

Why was he so unconfutable? Was he really trying to ask her out on a date, or would Naruto be there? Where had this come from?

And, of all the things she could have asked or said, what decided to come out of her mouth as a sheer reflex was, "Not Ichiraku."

Sasuke's expression reflected a flash of horror for mere milliseconds at the suggestion that he would go to the ramen stand of his own free will.

She felt her surprise subside enough to be amused at the sight and casually offered, "There's a cute café around the corner I've been wanting to try. It's nice enough to eat outside today too."

Seeming to regain his composure in the face of a more logical choice of restaurant, Sasuke schooled his face back into its classic, cool expression and nodded his agreement, moving to follow her when she pointed him in the right direction.

While she channeled her own inner Sasuke and maintained an outwardly composed appearance, her thoughts were running rampant inside of her head. What had brought this on? She hadn't done anything differently in training and their missions had been largely uneventful lately, (barring the cross-dressing incident, of course). Was it something to do with her appearance? After pulling double shifts at the hospital all week and working with Iruka to implement a new first aid program among genin recruits, she highly doubted she was looking her best.

So, what had happened?

Their five minute walk to the restaurant was made in complete and utter awkward silence, which only added to the building tension. When they arrived at the cafe, they were seated by a cute blonde civilian girl, who was making her best doe-eyed expression at Sasuke - not that he bothered to notice. Once they were at their table, she immediately took their order, or, at least, she took Sasuke's order and then strolled off with an extra swing of the hips that vaguely reminded Sakura of Ino.

Sakura waited a beat for the anger to come, but, surprisingly, it never did. She felt nothing but pity for the girl making goo goo eyes at her teammate.

But that didn't make any sense either! She had spent years pining after Sasuke! Years! And, now that she was finally on a date with him, she couldn't muster up enough jealousy to be mad at the girl who hadn't even bothered to be subtle while hitting on him in front of her. All she felt was the slightest irritation that she hadn't been able to order her food yet.

What was wrong with her?

"Sakura."

Blinking owlishly, she redirected her attention to her date, who was observing her with a keen eye. Any previous trace of discomfort had suddenly been swept away.

At his pointed expression, she waved off his question. "I'm fine, just feeling a little weird that's all."

His eyebrow kinked just the slightest bit upwards. "Weird?"

Was he offended? She narrowed her gaze at him and noted that he didn't seem put off by her comment. He simply maintained his scrutiny, seemingly watching her body language with the same level of attention that she was studying his with.

So far, the weirdest date she had been on.

Their food came moments later, Sasuke had ordered her her favorite type of pastry when it was apparent that the waitress wasn't going to give her the time of day. She was pleasantly surprised he even remembered what it was. The waitress, noticing the way he simply slid the plate across the table towards his teammate, finally deigned to acknowledge Sakura, if only to glare at her and stalk back to the kitchen.

Sasuke, oblivious as the rest of her boys, completely missed the interaction. He was already lifting the coffee that he ordered to his lips, but paused when he caught her looking at him.

"What?"

She smiled and shrugged delicately, resisting the urge to giggle at his obtuseness. "Just thinking about how much you've changed. Used to be you didn't want anything to do with me. And now," she claimed, breaking off a piece of the tart, "you're taking me out to eat and ordering my favorite treat for me."

Was that the beginnings of a blush dusting his cheeks? "I never said I didn't want anything to do with you," he mumbled defensively.

She almost choked on a crumb. "Evidence suggests otherwise, Sasuke- _kun_."

"When did I ever–"

"We could go in order," she quickly interrupted. "Remember the bento incident?"

"I was _five_."

"Bench?"

"I was stupid."

"Did your training trip really need to be three years long?"

He paused over his coffee. "I see your point."

She giggled at his quiet show of embarrassment. Sakura was pleased to note that they had reached a place in their relationship where they could talk about these things, where she could even laugh and joke about it.

Curiosity nagged at her until she asked, "When did that change?"

He must have realized what she was referring to because he lifted a hand to his jaw and shot her a very pointed look in response. "I got a very forthright wake up call."

She certainly wasn't going to apologize for it either. If anything, she was glad she had done it. If that had truly been his "wake up call" then it was totally worth it. They're friendship had only grown and deepened since he'd been back until she felt that he saw her as a true teammate. That appreciation and recognition was all she'd ever wanted from him. After all, as a genin, she'd always assumed that that would be the open door for him to–

But that was just it. For the first time since she was a little girl, Sakura found no hint of excitement or anticipation at the prospect of Sasuke seeing her as anything more than a friend or teammate. She felt nothing.

She couldn't believe it. While she was sitting here laughing over Sasuke's obliviousness, she had not even bothered to notice her entire world turning upside down. When had this happened? And without her even noticing? Sure she had been busy lately, but surely not enough to miss the fact that she no longer…that she had…

"Sakura."

Borderline panicked by her realization, Sakura turned to face him, only to find that he had shifted closer without her noticing, as he was wont to do. His face was but inches from her own. If she paid attention, she could feel his breath on her cheeks, on her lips.

She waited for the butterflies to come, expected her pulse to at least skyrocket, but there was nothing.

"I don't–"

His mask of composure did not falter the slightest bit. "Did you finally figure it out?"

Newly startled she sat up straight, establishing some personal space, and narrowed her eyes at him. "You knew!"

He, too, leaned back in his chair and continued to observe her with eyes that apparently saw more than she gave them credit for. "Of course I knew."

Wildly embarrassed at this point, Sakura felt her face burning and quickly became irritated with his know-it-all attitude. "And how long did you plan on keeping me in the dark?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, not at all cowed by her bite. "A while. Kakashi told me it was better to let you figure it out, but we were all worried it was never going to happen."

"All?" If anything her embarrassment only deepened. "Just how many people think they 'figured it out'?"

Sakura was surprised to see his face finally break into an irritated grimace. "Only the two people that matter haven't figured it out."

The meaning behind his words eluded Sakura completely. "But you just said that you-"

"Not me, Sakura."

It was all becoming a bit much for her, the sudden revelations, the cryptic words. Sakura suddenly found herself standing abruptly from the table, startling even Sasuke. "I'm sorry. I just - I just need-"

And, for perhaps the first time ever, Sasuke managed to grace her with an expression that wasn't laced with boredom or irritation. "Go figure it out yourself," he bid her almost gently.

Not even able to respond, Sakura walked away from the cafe with wooden steps and made it as far as the end of the street before moving to chakra-enhanced speed. She knew very well that she was in full flight mode, not really aware of where she was going or who she was passing along the way, but she didn't care. Her thoughts and feelings were in such disarray that she couldn't even find it in herself to think straight.

Eventually, she ended up, out of breath and energy, on a remote training ground at the very edge of the village. Sakura barely registered where she was standing before the strength of her legs failed, and she landed hard on the sprawling grass.

First things first, she needed to get herself under control. Tucking her legs in towards her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and rested her forehead on her knees. Drawing from years-old meditation lessons, Sakura deepened her breathing until the knot forming in her chest loosened and there was no chance confused tears would leak out.

In the three years her boys were gone, Sakura found the need, not necessarily to completely change who she was as a person, but to grow into the best possible version of herself, as both a person and a kunoichi. This, of course, was not only limited to her training, but to who she was as a friend, a medic, and a daughter. Perhaps the most important lesson she learned when her team temporarily separated was the value of looking at herself through a clear lens and of using only truthful observations when judging herself.

The truth wasn't always kind or flattering, but that wasn't what she needed it to be. First and foremost, Sakura valued honesty and its ability to help her improve herself.

So, as her heartbeat evened to a steady comforting pace, Sakura finally allowed herself to let the truth she had been avoiding to come to the forefront of mind.

She tested the words, first silently in the safety of her thoughts, and then, fully acknowledging them, she whispered, "I don't love Sasuke anymore."

And, just like that, the tension she hadn't even realized she was holding onto eased from her bones as if they, like Sasuke, were saying, _"So, you finally realized it."_

But where did this leave her, then? How did this change her?

The answer was simple and immediate: it didn't. She was still the same kunoichi she had been when she sharpened her kunai last night, the same doctor who yesterday had eased the common cold in a sick child. She was the same person, friend, daughter, teammate that she had been this morning when she had walked out of her house. The only thing that had changed was a goal she had held onto with two hands for most of her life. She didn't want to be with Sasuke anymore, and, rather than feeling guilty about that fact, as was her initial response in the cafe, Sakura suddenly felt...free.

Free from the pressure of trying to get Sasuke to notice her. Free from the image of being the lovesick teammate. Free to find someone who didn't require fifteen years to acknowledge her as an equal.

"I don't love Sasuke anymore," she reaffirmed, finally looking up from her knees and allowing the joy she felt from that simple fact to suffuse her voice. "I don't love Sasuke anymore!"

And, when her eyes became focused on the world around her once more, the first thing she noticed was a deep onyx gaze that seemed to pierce right through her.

Time froze as they took each other in, and the silence that descended upon them was alive with energy.

Itachi was crouched gracefully on the space in front of her. For all intents and purposes, he seemed to be completely at ease, but there was something in his posture that made Sakura's ninja training prickle. Her observant eye caught the slight tension that lined his limbs and realized his position was not relaxed but poised, purposed, as if he were a tiger just waiting to pounce.

Sakura suddenly had to swallow past a lump in her throat, a motion, she realized as she watched the direction of his gaze, that did not go unnoticed.

She broke the quiet it with a breathless question, "How long have you been sitting there?"

His voice was almost too impassive, too calm when he answered, "Long enough. I saw you leave the cafe and–"

"Came to check on me." A feeling of warmth spread inside of her. She allowed it to rise to her face when she smiled at him. "You always do."

Even the ever-impassive Uchiha Itachi couldn't help but be affected by that warmth. Though he remained perfectly still, restraining himself to his poised stance, something she couldn't name burned in his eyes and made the butterflies she had been waiting for all day finally flutter.

 _Oh_ , she thought, _is that it then?_

"Is it true," he asked quietly.

Sakura didn't have to ask what he was referring to, and suddenly realized why he was holding himself the way he was. He understood how drastically her perspective had changed with a single truth, understood how important Sasuke's love had been for her for so long. He would give her all the time in the world to come to grips with this new reality.

Time she didn't really need.

Unfolding herself from her makeshift fetal position, Sakura shifted slowly forward until she was on her knees in front of him, all the while taking stock of his expression. She really didn't want to be wrong and just end up invading his personal space, but the closer she got, the brighter that spark in his eyes burned.

"I don't love Sasuke anymore," she told him, quietly, assuredly. "I haven't for a while now. I just never realized it. I'm realizing a lot of new things today." Hesitantly, she raised her hand to gently rest on his cheek, searching for any minute change in his expression. "And you?"

Sakura swore she didn't breathe in the five seconds it took him to answer her question. When he did, it was with a small shake of his head. Her heart plummeted, and she couldn't help the way her expression crumpled in front of him. He obviously understood the reason behind her distress because, just as she went to pull her hand away from his face, he laid his own on top of it, holding it there. The action only confused Sakura even more.

"I have only learned one new thing about you today, Haruno Sakura. The other I have known already for quite some time."

She didn't really process his earnest statement at first, but after a few moments, its meaning sent her brain reeling into overdrive. In full disbelief, she looked back on all of their interactions, thought over every word and gesture, and tried to piece together how or when this, too, could have happened without her even noticing.

While she tried to come to grips with his words, Itachi finally freed himself from his own self-control. He shifted until he too was kneeling on the grass of the training grounds. She hadn't even noticed the way he moved until his greater height had him leaning over her. Then, she could only watch, completely frozen, as he moved her hand from his cheek, sliding it against his warm skin, until it rested on the back of his neck. That hand continued down the length of her arm, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake, only stopping when it found the curve of her spine. His other hand found its way to her cheek, and she leaned into it without really thinking.

She saw the way his eyes immediately darkened at the gesture and couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her spine in reaction. Judging by his smile, she knew he had felt it, wrapped around her as he was.

Slowly, gently, his forehead came to rest against hers. The way he brushed his nose carefully along the length of her cheek while curling his fingers through her hair was starting to short circuit her brain.

Frustratingly, he paused there. Sakura looked up, confused, only to find him already watching her.

He was so close that his lips and breath left soft half-kisses with each word he spoke. "Be mine, Sakura."

After everything that she had been through today, those were the words that finally brought the tears to her eyes, but, unlike all of their other tearful meetings, these were filled with joy, and she even found herself laughing breathlessly.

"Why is it you always find me crying?"

A thumb stroked away those happy tears with a gentleness she wasn't aware any ninja was capable of. "Someone has to take care of you."

It was Sakura who closed the final gap between them, pouring all of the joy and gratitude and love she possessed into a kiss that was a long time coming.

The first of many.

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